Protecting people and the planet: putting people at the heart of city climate action
This report uses the latest data to highlight the hazards cities face from climate change – from the people affected to critical resources under threat – and demonstrates the urgent need for cities to put people at the heart of their climate action. Extreme and unprecedented weather events, severe droughts, floods and raging wildfires show us, time and again, the devastating impacts of climate change on people. Home to more than half of the world’s population, cities find themselves on the front line of climate change and exposed to extreme climate-related hazards. The overwhelming scale of the climate crisis is clear, and it is growing ever larger. The latest data comes from the responses of cities to CDP-ICLEI Track in 2022 and shows that 80% of cities are facing significant climate hazards, from extreme heat to floods, and for almost one in three cities (28%,) these hazards threaten at least 70% of their population. Moreover, a quarter of cities (25%) are facing a high-risk hazard, such as extreme heat, that is expected to increase in intensity and frequency by 2025.
